The regulation of the digital world is a key issue for Latin America and a necessary condition for achieving relevance in this field on a global level.  So far, Latin American regulators have adopted a “wait-and-see” attitude that aims to avoid slowing down innovation. However, a lack of action on the regulatory front could put the brakes on innovation in industries such as finance.

Let’s talk Private Mortgage Insurance, or as it’s more commonly known, “PMI.”

If you’re buying a house and in the process of obtaining a home loan, chances are good you’ve at least heard the term. Chances are even better you’re acutely aware of PMI if you’re planning a down payment of less than 20 percent, because PMI is the premium you’ll have to pay to insure the lender against loan default.

Taking on a mortgage might be the single most important financial decision a person makes, and accordingly, it may also be one of the most complicated. Simply understanding the type of mortgage loan that is right for your situation can be confusing at best.

In this article, we’ll wade through industry terminology to boil each option down to its essence, so you can better know which may be right for you and your home buying situation. We’ll also review some of the terms you might hear bandied about - Conforming, Conventional - to understand how they fit into the bigger picture.

When it comes to how much home you can afford, the answer is not always as cut and dried as the pre-qualification you receive from your lender, says BBVA Compass Director of Real Estate Originations Jose Pascual.

Pascual says that lenders do their best with what they’re given in order to pre-qualify customers for an affordable amount, but there are considerations outside their purview that borrowers should also consider.

Deciding to buy a home ranks among the biggest decisions a person can make, which is why it’s wise to go into the process with eyes wide open to your unique financial situation. Doing so will help ensure that before pen hits paper on the loan application, the approval that will get you the house of your dreams is in the proverbial bag.

There are a few steps anyone looking to get a home loan - aka mortgage - can take before application in order to be sure that they are best positioned for approval.

Your ability to build strong relationships with colleagues is critical to the success of your career. It opens doors to key projects, personal development, mentoring opportunities and promotion.

As had been expected, following its monthly meeting the European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged. At the same time, ECB President Mario Draghi introduced the exchange rate as an element of uncertainty, stressing that he will monitor the fluctuations in the euro and their possible consequences. Likewise, he reiterated the possibility of broadening the bond purchase program, continuing his accommodative policy, which will be accompanied by interest rates at minimum levels for a long period of time.

Urban planning in the 20th Century was developed on the basis of the traditional concept of a car with a driver. The arrival of self-driving cars will make it necessary to rethink the design of cities and their suburbs.

Economic activity in Latin America has been invigorated in recent months, in line with the recovery of confidence among families and businesses and a more favorable external context. In its Latin America Economic Outlook for first quarter 2018, BBVA Research forecasts that the region’s growth will increase from 1.1% in 2017 to 1.7% in 2018 and 2.5% in 2019.